Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 123212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 616(@200wpm)___ 493(@250wpm)___ 411(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 616(@200wpm)___ 493(@250wpm)___ 411(@300wpm)
“Is that the DeCarlo family?” I question as I watch them make their way through the mansion, looking like my worst kind of nightmare. This is the kind of thing that I would have expected to happen in Breakers Flats, but here, I thought we were safe.
“Yes,” he says. “They’re Vincent’s sons. They’re bad news.”
“No shit,” I grunt, pulling myself up off the cold ground and moving in closer to watch as two maids scramble under a table, holding onto each other in terror while one of Vincent’s sons takes the room by storm. He's waving his gun in the air and yelling violently at them, their heads shaking in response.
They’re not willing to give their boss away and it becomes all too clear why Colton was so desperate to get me in here. These guys are ruthless. They don’t take prisoners and they honestly don’t give a shit how they have to get what they want. How did Charles keep them at bay all this time?
My gaze flicks to the next monitor to where one of the brothers stands at the entryway of the staff quarters and my stomach sinks. The door is locked and he slams his fists against the wood. Panic rises within me. “Are they in there?”
Colton shakes his head. “I don’t know, Jade,” he tells me, looking over to the next monitor that shows the inside of the staff kitchen. The room looks empty but I give it a second glance just to make sure.
The guy gets annoyed with the door and with one big kick, the door splinters and flies off its hinges. He strides into the staff quarters and starts looking around, checking under tables and inside of cupboards.
Not finding what he’s looking for, he moves on and I try to take a calming breath. They would have gotten away. Harrison and Maryne have been working here for years, they would know every little hiding spot in this place. They have to be alright. They would have taken Mom with them. They’re going to be okay.
There’s movement on the first screen and my gaze shoots back toward it to find mom dashing across the formal living room. “What the hell is she doing?” I panic, watching as she rushes around, her phone in her hand, desperately searching. Then it hits me, she’s looking for me.
“No, no, no, no, no,” I chant, leaning into Colton’s side, needing the comfort his closeness always seems to bring as he stares motionless at the screens, watching it all play out like some kind of horror movie.
Mom’s head whips around, clearly hearing something and dives behind one of the large statues, crouching down low and doing her best to keep herself hidden. “Why can’t I hear anything?” I rush out, searching around the computers for a volume button.
“There’s no sound. Only visual.”
“What?” I demand. “You’re a fucking billionaire. Why is there no sound?”
“It’s not my system,” he tells me. “Trust me, if this was on me, I’d have sound in every fucking room.”
My heart stops as a man walks through the formal living room and mom begins silently praying that she will get out of this. Her gaze falls back to her phone and she holds it to her ear. Whoever she’s trying to call doesn’t respond and she tries again and again.
I pat around my pockets and realize that she’s probably calling me. My phone is back in the pool house and she has absolutely no idea if I’m safe. The man walks out of the room and like lightning, mom flies in the opposite direction, continuing her search.
“I have to let her know that I’m okay,” I tell him. “Do you have your phone?”
He shakes his head. “It’s back in my room.”
“FUCK! She’s going to get herself killed.”
“Check the drawers,” Colton says, indicating to the row of drawers that span the length of the room. I practically dive on them, tearing each one of them open and madly searching. There are all sorts of things in there and I realize that each drawer was filled specifically with the intent to keep them alive in here for weeks on end.
I get to the fourth drawer and as I tear it open, I find an old phone attached to a charger and I rip it out faster than Colton dragged my ass in here
I rush back over to the computers and keep my eye on mom as I madly start hashing out a text.
Unknown - Mom. I’m in the panic room. Stop moving around. I’m okay. Go and hide.
Unknown - Where are Maryne and Harrison?
I watch as her head snaps down to her phone and she quickly reads over the text. Relief visibly pours through her and she sags against the wall, needing a moment to catch up with everything that’s happening.